About Saint John Paul II dwelling · Moore, Oklahoma
The St. John Paul II Dwelling is a Catholic residential home for the dying in Moore, Oklahoma, operated by the Gospel of Life Disciples (GOLD) under the authority of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Located on eight wooded acres, the property centers on a two-story home with a private stone chapel, a guest cottage, and a barn that has been converted into an events center. Opened in October 2018, it welcomes elderly and terminally ill residents who would otherwise be alone, accompanying them with life-affirming care free of charge, sustained entirely by charitable contributions. The dwelling is the newest and largest of GOLD's three homes and also serves as the home of the Gospel of Life School, a year-round formation and missionary discipleship program for young adults ages 18 to 30.
- Established
- 2018
- Patron
- St. John Paul II (jointly with Our Lady of Guadalupe as patroness of all Gospel of Life Dwellings)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City (under the responsibility of Archbishop Paul S. Coakley)
Why belong here
The St. John Paul II Dwelling is not a typical parish church but a Catholic home for the dying where daily Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, Eucharistic adoration, the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet shape the rhythm of life. It welcomes visitors, volunteers (known as 'LifeGuards'), and young adults (ages 18–30) who want to encounter Christ through prayer, study, community, and direct service to the elderly poor. Guests can join the GOLD family for outdoor Stations of the Cross during Lent, formation evenings, and other events, and the dwelling is sustained entirely by charitable contributions.
The St. John Paul II Dwelling
The St. John Paul II Dwelling is a Catholic home for the dying operated by the Gospel of Life Disciples (GOLD) on eight wooded acres in Moore, Oklahoma. The two-story main house, a private stone chapel, a guest cottage, and a barn converted into the Blessed Stanley Rother events center together form a small Catholic community centered on the Eucharist, the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and the daily accompaniment of elders who would otherwise face the end of life alone. Care is provided free of charge and sustained entirely by charitable donations.
- Opened October 16, 2018
- Newest and largest of three GOLD homes (St. James OKC, St. Adelaide Grand Prairie TX)
- Member home of the Omega Home Network
- Under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. John Paul II
History and Founding
Sister Maria of the Trinity (Maria Faulkner) began the Gospel of Life Disciples in the fall of 2013 with the opening of the St. James Dwelling in southwest Oklahoma City, where she is a parishioner of St. James the Greater Catholic Church. A second home, St. Adelaide's, opened in Grand Prairie, Texas, shortly after. The Moore property was identified for the ministry in 2018 when a real estate agent who had read about Sister Maria recognized the custom home as a fit. The home had been built by a contractor and his wife for their large family — five biological children and ten adopted children with special needs — and the owners donated the furnishings when the home was transferred to the ministry. The dwelling was occupied on October 16, 2018 and named for the Polish pope whose late-life witness, in Sister Maria's words, 'touched the world the way he let people see him get old.'
- GOLD founded 2013 with St. James Dwelling in Oklahoma City
- St. Adelaide Dwelling opened in Grand Prairie, Texas
- St. John Paul II Dwelling occupied October 16, 2018 in Moore, OK
- Under the authority of Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
The Chapel and Liturgical Life
Daily life at the dwelling is centered on the Eucharist. The community prays a daily horarium that includes daily Mass in the on-site stone chapel, time before the Blessed Sacrament, the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and weekly Lectio Divina. During Lent the ministry hosts outdoor Stations of the Cross on the grounds — Fridays at 4:30 p.m. with a Simple Supper at 5:30 p.m., and a Good Friday outdoor Stations at noon — to which the wider public is welcome after registering through the GOLD 'Events' page.
- Daily Mass in the on-site chapel
- Daily prayer horarium (Liturgy of the Hours)
- Weekly Lectio Divina
- Daily Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet
- Eucharistic Adoration
- Outdoor Stations of the Cross during Lent (Fridays 4:30 p.m.; Good Friday noon)
Care for Elderly and Dying Residents
The dwelling welcomes elders who are elderly, poor, alone, or terminally ill, accompanying them with life-affirming care free of charge for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Residents participate in making the house a home and contribute according to their possibilities. Live-in volunteers, called LifeGuards, assure a ministry of presence in collaboration with neighborhood volunteers. The whole project is sustained solely through charitable contributions to the Gospel of Life Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
- Care provided free of charge
- Residents welcomed regardless of means
- LifeGuard live-in volunteer program
- Funded entirely by donations to the Gospel of Life Association 501(c)(3)
Gospel of Life School (GOLS)
The Gospel of Life School is a missionary discipleship and formation program hosted at the St. John Paul II Dwelling for young adults ages 18 to 30. Disciples encounter Christ through prayer, study, community, and hands-on service alongside the residents. The full session runs September through May and the mini session runs June through August; both include daily Mass and prayer horarium, weekly Lectio Divina, formation classes, LifeGuard service shifts, room and board, and a monthly stipend. Full-session participants also undertake a Retreat in Daily Life (St. Ignatius) and the Blessed Stanley Rother Hispanic Cultural Institute.
- Full Session: September–May
- Mini Session: June–August
- Daily Mass, daily horarium, weekly Lectio Divina
- Formation and Retreat in Daily Life (St. Ignatius)
- Blessed Stanley Rother Hispanic Cultural Institute
- LifeGuard service shifts
- Free room and board, monthly stipend
- Open to ages 18–30
- Discipleship Director: David Harrison ([email protected])
Staff and Leadership
The dwelling is led by Sister Maria of the Trinity (Maria Faulkner), a consecrated religious who founded the Gospel of Life Disciples in 2013 after years of elder-care and hospice ministry in France and the United States. The formation program at the dwelling is coordinated by the Discipleship Director, David Harrison. The whole ministry operates under the canonical responsibility of Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City.
- Sr. Maria of the Trinity (Maria Faulkner) — Founder
- David Harrison — Discipleship Director, Gospel of Life School
- Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley — Archbishop of Oklahoma City (canonical authority)
Visit, Volunteer, and Donate
The dwelling welcomes visitors for scheduled events such as the outdoor Stations of the Cross and other formation evenings, and invites men and women ages 18 to 30 to apply to the Gospel of Life School as missionary disciples. LifeGuards serve as live-in volunteers, while neighborhood volunteers help with the rhythm of daily life. All operations are funded by donations to the Gospel of Life Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
- Apply to the Gospel of Life School via gospeloflifedisciples.org/school
- Register for events via the GOLD 'Events' link
- Donate or become a volunteer via gospeloflifedisciples.org